Worship

Congregation Ohev Sholom, as a member of the Conservative Movement, occupies the centrist ground of Jewish belief and practice. We aspire to conserve Judaism by upholding traditional ritual – such as Hebrew prayer, observance of kashrut, and strict Sabbath observance, yet we recognize that remaining vibrant and relevant sometimes requires change.

We embrace change when it reinforces our religion’s moral integrity, such as egalitarianism; women are equal in all aspects of Jewish life at Ohev Sholom.

We also embrace change when it improves Jewish observance aesthetically, such as using musical instruments on Friday nights and on Second Day Yom Tov of the Pilgrimage Festivals.

Our congregation’s approach to tradition rests on the two-fold philosophy of Conservative Judaism; we posit Jewish law as binding, yet we acknowledge that, because Judaism always has been conditioned by history, Jewish law continuously evolves.

Shabbat Services

Shabbat services begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at approximately noon.

We pattern our weekly Torah reading service after the triennial Torah reading cycle similar to the one used in ancient Israel during the rabbinic period. In this system, the traditional parashiot are each divided into three shorter segments, and the whole Torah is completed once every three years. Our worship is jointly led by the rabbinical staff and lay leadership. Congregants are encouraged to lead Torah and Haftorah, chant Musaf as well as be honored with aliyot. Read more about our Shabbat service.

Daily Minyan

Ohev is proud to hold weekday morning minyanim Sunday through Friday. Since 1925, minyaneers gather on Sunday morning following worship for Breakfast Club. Very often, after minyan on other days of the week, we get together at a nearby restaurant for breakfast. View the weekday minyan schedule.

High Holy Days

We provide a comprehensive overview about the observance and ritual – synagogue decorum, dress, child care, suggestions for celebration, and more – at Congregation Ohev Sholom during the High Holy Days. Read more.

Our Prayerbooks

We inaugurated Siddur Lev Shalem (The Complete Heart Prayer Book) during worship services in March of 2016. The prayer book is just the latest in the on-going efforts of the Rabbinical Assembly to create worship tools that address the evolving needs of Conservative Jews in the English-speaking world. The siddur presents a highly readable translation in contemporary language; it respects English usage and may even be inspiring to the English reader. Read more about our Siddurim.